Page 51 of Meteor Storm

I blinked, trying to cleanse myself of those thoughts when the other monrian started to speak, drawing Thilar’s attention. Sunhai leaned against the wall next to me, translating everything so I could understand.

“He says that we not long for Tallian space. That is who holds their contract.”

“Tallian space?”

“The Tallian Empire is large and formidable. Their prince has been employing monrians for very long time. They are neutral in most matters.” She chuffed. “Until someone angers them. Pek-Tol angered them.”

The man continued to speak and then his eyes fell on me, making me straighten.

“He wants to know what happened in the arena.”

“What do you mean?”

Sunhai sighed. “This is the beginnings of a trial. For Thilar. For forcing himself on you.”

My brows furrowed and my eyes swept toward Thilar, silently urging him to speak up, but he was quiet, waiting for my response as patiently as the stranger was.

“I don’t get it,” I said to Sunhai. “What did he do wrong?”

“Like I say,” she shrugged. “Monrians have rules. Very strict rules. Even in such a position, forcing himself on another is one of their greatest crimes. Not only because it is dishonorable to take unwilling mate, but because spreading monrian seed when not approved by their clerics is forbidden.”

“I can’t get pregnant,” I argued.

“I told them. But for now, does not matter.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I looked at the other monrian and shook my head, wishing I could learn to understand him as fast as Thilar learned to understand me.

“Talk for me,” I ordered Sunhai. “Thilar didn’t force himself on me. I mean… not like that. Pek-Tol proved more than once that if Thilar didn’t do what he wanted, punishment would fall on me. He did nothing but protect me the whole time I was on that rock. Anything that happened between us…” I paused, my skin heating at the memory of him driving his cock in me against that pole. “It was forced… on both of us.”

Sunhai translated as quickly as she could.

“It would have killed me. What happened was awful, but I’m not a goddamn idiot. I told him to do it. He saved my life at the expense of his honor or whatever it is you’re accusing him of jeopardizing.”

Sunhai finished and the other monrian cleared his throat, taking on a stance that seemed military and conditioned, his hands loosely clasped behind his back. He said a few more words.

“He asks about the first time.”

“First time?” I gave it a little thought and recalled the dirty, stony cell where Thilar and I were forced on each other right after the first game. “Jesus, did Thilar spill everything?”

“It is dishonorable to lie to—”

“Of course it is,” I groaned. “The first time, nothing came of it. We were both rendered too weak to… perform. And, going back to the second time, I could see he was suffering. And I knew the game. I knew we weren’t getting out of that arena in one piece if I didn’t make a show of things, but I promise you, if I hadn’t told him to do it, he probably would have stabbed himself in his own heart to protect me. I don’t know why, but I just know that he would have.”

I wasn’t sure that last part was true, but all I wanted to do was absolve Thilar. I looked up at him as I finished and found him staring back at me with a kind of subtlety I could never dream of mastering. I waited for Sunhai to translate and appreciated the way she delivered the words with the same emotion I had like she was having fun with the theatrics. When she was finished, she swung her gaze back to me with a little smirk.

“So, you took my advice,” she muttered softly. “Smart human.”

The other monrian nodded slowly, looking me up and down.

“And if it matters,” I added, looking at Sunhai. “Tell them I can’t get pregnant again. So, their precious, pure-blooded DNA isn’t in any danger. I promise.”

I said that a little bitterly, but in truth, I had no idea what their culture was like and I was just one human in the expanse of space among civilizations older than ours. I wasn’t offended they didn’t want me having any monrian babies. From the way Sunhai described them, they were an organization more than a society. They invested in themselves and an unaccounted-for hybrid baby probably wasn’t good for business, even if I didn’t think it was possible.

The monrian man stood quietly for a moment, his eyes sweeping from me to Thilar and back again before he spoke.

“He says he will consider your claims,” Sunhai said flatly. “Ultimately, Thilar’s fate will be decided when we reach the Edda, one of their habitation vessels. Their clerics will be there and they will hold a small trial, but if Yuros leans in his favor, he may vouch for him.”

I groaned, frustrated that it was happening at all, but I couldn’t argue. I was in yet another foreign place with no idea how anything worked.